Amato's franchise
2026 filing · March 24, 2026
Amato's at a glance
A sandwich and pizza shop. At the end of 2025 there were 52 Amato's locations in the US, 40 franchised and 12 company-owned.
The business
- Franchisor
- Reali Holdings Company, Inc
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchising since
- 2002
- 24 years of selling franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Portland, Maine
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $435K–$738K
- A full-size shop
- Franchise fee
- $25,000
- $15,000 for an Xpress shop
- Royalty
- 6%
- 6% of gross sales, paid monthly. A systemwide advertising fund of up to 1% is not charged yet
- Brand fund
- Yes
- Up to 1% of gross sales
- Agreement length
- 5 years
Where it is
- US locations, 2025
- 52
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 40
- Company-owned
- 12
- States
- 4
- Most in Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont
From Reali Holdings Company, Inc’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Amato's among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Amato's | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $586,500 | Costs more than 70% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $25,000 | Lower than 82% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 6% | Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 52 | More than 65% of franchises |
How much a Amato's franchise costs
Opening a full-size shop costs an estimated $435,000 to $738,000. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are leasehold improvements ($150,000 to $250,000) and furniture, fixtures & equipment ($125,000 to $250,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise Fee | $25,000 | ||
| Real Estate/Rent | $35,000 | $70,000 | |
| Utility Deposits | $4,000 | $5,000 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $150,000 | $250,000 | |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment | $125,000 | $250,000 | |
| Initial Inventory | $15,000 | $25,000 | |
| Insurance | $7,000 | $9,000 | |
| Signage | $25,000 | $35,000 | |
| Office Equipment & Supplies | $11,000 | $15,000 | |
| Grand Opening | $5,000 | $8,000 | |
| Training | $10,000 | $12,000 | |
| Legal/Accounting/Licenses/Permits | $3,000 | $4,000 | |
| Additional Funds (3 months) | $20,000 | $30,000 | |
| Total | $435,000 | $738,000 | |
Source: Reali Holdings Company, Inc, 2026 filing, page 14
Amato's franchise fee
The franchise fee is $25,000, $15,000 for an Xpress shop. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Reali Holdings Company, Inc, 2026 filing, page 9
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of gross sales, paid monthly. A systemwide advertising fund of up to 1% is not charged yet. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | Up to 1% of gross sales. |
| Transfer Fee | 50% of initial franchise fee |
| Local Advertising | 2% of Gross Sales |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Reali Holdings Company, Inc, 2026 filing, pages 11 and 25
Other fees as filed, from page 11. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Amato's does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: Reali Holdings Company, Inc, 2026 filing, page 42
- Estimate Estimated yearly sales per location
- $650K–$1.2M
Estimated from the sales that 292 comparable franchises file, matched on industry, format, cost to open, fees and size.
SBA loans to Amato's franchisees
Lenders approved one SBA 7(a) loan for a Amato's franchisee in 2013, for $197K. It was charged off.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
How Amato's compares
Of the 80 sandwich franchises on this site, Amato's is the 57th cheapest to open and the 29th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Amato's | Typical sandwich brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $435K | $321K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $738K | $683K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $25K | $32K | $40K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| US locations | 52 | 31 | 21 |
| Change in franchised locations, 0 yrs | +21.2% | 0% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 50 of 80 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 80 brands in sandwich franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 36 (+3) | 12 |
| 2024 | 41 (+5) | 12 |
| 2025 | 40 (−1) | 12 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: sandwich and sub franchise costs and franchise failure rates.
Source: Reali Holdings Company, Inc, 2026 filing, page 43
Where Amato's locations are
At the end of 2025, Amato's had locations in 4 states. The most are in Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont.
- Maine25
- Massachusetts11
- Vermont11
- New Hampshire5
| State | Franchised | Company-owned | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 13 | 12 | 25 |
| Massachusetts | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Vermont | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| New Hampshire | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Source: Reali Holdings Company, Inc, 2026 filing, page 44
Who owns Amato's?
Amato's franchises are sold by Reali Holdings Company, Inc.
From Reali Holdings Company, Inc’s 2026 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: Reali Holdings Company, Inc, 2026 filing, litigation on page 8, bankruptcy on page 9
Amato's filings
The figures on this page come from Reali Holdings Company, Inc’s 2026 filing, issued March 24, 2026, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 filing | March 24, 2026 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2023–2025 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other sandwich franchises
All sandwich franchises
Amato's is also on these lists: pizza franchises, restaurant franchises, food franchises.